My husband and I were born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We went to college in PA and our children were both born there. In the mid 1980's we moved to Orlando, Florida, but we still consider ourselves from Pittsburgh. We are diehard Steelers' fans. We love Steelers' football so much, we become obnoxious people to be around from late August (pre season) up until the Super Bowl in February. The only way you can stand to be around us is if you are also a Steelers' fan. I even like typing, "Steelers!"
From preseason until the last ball is thrown (we never give up - "Remember the Immaculate Reception!") - our home is decorated in Steelers' paraphernalia. Jack and Rooney have Steelers' bandanas and we all wear black and gold in some fashion. We have a Steelers' Christmas wreath (a thoughtful present from our son's girlfriend) and a banner that goes up before each game, across the entire garage door.
Andy and I are old-school. We remember the days of Mean Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. Back in the day when Terry threw the ball and Lynn caught it. Back in the day when nobody could get past Greene or Harris. When the steel mills closed, leaving thousands of men without jobs or hope, it was the winning Steel Curtain that kept their spirits up. Steelers football is more than a game.
So, if you've been reading my blog, you will recognize some familiar names. We had a Boxer named Rocky - as in Rocky Bleier. Our Jack is named for Lambert and Ham. Rooney is named for the owners of the Steelers, the Rooney family. It's an Irish name, Ruanaidh, meaning "red hair," so it would have been more appropriate for Jack, but we love the name Jack. Anyway, you get the idea.
Our Rooney is special. When I decided (operative word, "I" since Andy never suggests bringing another animal into the house) to get a little sister for Jack, the breeder told me she had a very nice litter out of two champions. When I saw a video that was posted of the litter, I picked her out right away. You see, the breeder is a farmer who feeds her dogs raw meat - as in cows or horses she has cut up herself. She will toss a cow leg down and let the puppies go at it. This is how she determines pack order. The Alpha male and female will be very aggressive. Some of the puppies will be so submissive they won't eat. Others are somewhere in between - finding a way to eat without having to fight for it. That was our Rooney. In the video, I watched her carefully avoid her very aggressive sister, and find a place to eat in quiet. She wasn't totally submissive but she wasn't a real bitch either. That was the puppy I wanted.
Rooney stole our hearts from day one. Including Jack's. Everybody loves Rooney. I have never heard so much as a growl from her, but she alerts us with a formidable bark if a stranger is approaching the house. The only problem is, Rooney has kidney dysplasia. We learned of this when blood work was done prior to breeding her. She was given about two years - a year ago. Of course, short of a kidney transplant, which they won't do (we asked) we are doing everything we can to prolong her life. She is on a special diet and is monitored regularly. We plan on beating the odds.
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